Passat 3BG: Shock Absorbers & Control Arms

Hello fellow enthusiasts,

"My Passat currently drives like a boat full of water, so I wanted to replace the front shock absorbers (the rear ones are already new). Since the control arms are still the originals, I'd like to replace those at the same time. The lower rear control arms were replaced last year as part of my drive shaft work. Which manufacturers are suitable for control arms? Are brands like Metzger and Mapco okay, or do they *absolutely* have to be Lemförder or Febi Bilstein?"

Besides ensuring that all the control arm bolts are tightened while the suspension is compressed and that the shock absorber is at a fixed angle to the coil spring/strut mount, what else should be considered? Hopefully, this time the troublesome bolt won't cause any issues, as it was installed last year with plenty of anti-seize compound.

"I'd like to replace the tie rod ends as well. Is it possible to do this without an alignment if you count the number of rotations when loosening the end? What is the function of the second screw on the tie rod end that attaches to the steering knuckle? Does it need to be removed? Could the tie rod end become stuck to the tie rod, potentially damaging the tie rod when loosening?"

Is it a good idea to replace the springs at the same time as I'm replacing other suspension components? Of course, the strut mounts and bump stops will also be renewed. Is it easy to access the upper bolts for the shock absorber/axle arm bracket?

Are there any other bearings on the stabilizer bar that need to be replaced besides the tie rod?

This time, I will carry out the action in a rented workshop .

Hi!

"In many independent workshops in our area, this is quite unfamiliar."
But if you want to do it "right," aligning the steering and adjusting the wheel alignment isn't as simple as it seems.

I once attended a training session from Febi, or at least I think it was Febi, where this was explained in detail.

The tie rod end is secured to the suspension arm by a clamping screw, allowing for a height adjustment of approximately 1 cm.

Specifically, this allows for the adjustment of a so-called "pre-tracking curve," along with the usual, well-known adjustment thread on the tie rod end.
I haven't done it myself, but we were told that it usually has to be done at a VW workshop. They would use a lifting device to raise the car slightly, measure the alignment, then position the car correctly on its wheels, take measurements again, and then adjust things until the values are equal.
This is going to take a very long time and will therefore be quite expensive.

The technician mentioned that in the event of a warranty claim, the measurement report from the wheel alignment would be required. If it's not clear from the report that the toe angle was correctly adjusted, then the warranty will not apply.

I don't know how much of this is a marketing tactic to avoid warranty claims, but the adjustable height of the tie rod end definitely has its reason.
And if you somehow manage to incorporate it, that's also bad.
It's better to just keep things the way they were before.

Hi there,
"Get the installation manual (RLF) for the vehicle; it will provide detailed instructions on how each component is mounted and what needs to be adjusted. This will also help you decide what adjustments you can make temporarily."
hg
Herbert.

Quote:

Which manufacturers are suitable for control arms?

TRW oder Lemförderer.... die sind übrigens auch in der Erstausrüstung verbaut. Althe others... ???

You install the new tie rod ends from above, just like the old ones (measure beforehand).

Subsequently, it is best to have the suspension measured and adjusted at a .

If the front axle alignment is incorrect, the vehicle may become unstable, for example, when driving over bumps on the highway.

People, it's enough to make you cry . Today, I was in a rental workshop, and after 7 hours, I still wasn't finished. My conclusion: As a hobby mechanic, you should just avoid working on the rear axle.

This time, there was at least one good piece of news: The troublesome bolt was surprisingly cooperative this time, having been properly installed with anti-seize paste during my last action last year (see here: /viewtopic.php?t=27287). I was able to simply pull it out without any tricks. The lower rear control arm is already new, so I left it in place and decided not to replace the tie rod ends. The fun began when trying to detach the joint of the lower front control arm. My Hazet ball joint separator completely failed. Then, the workshop foreman showed me a trick: how to knock the joints out of the steering knuckle housing with firm hammer blows.

At least I managed to get everything out without having to lower the engine carrier (which is necessary if you need to remove the lower rear handlebar, otherwise the screw won't come out).

Then it started, disassembling the coil springs. That's really complicated, guys. Luckily, I had a professional spring compressor for the impact wrench. Everything else would have definitely failed. Even the professional compressor deforms under the insane force, which is incredible. The original shock absorbers were still in place. Although the gas pressure was gone, they could still move smoothly throughout their entire range of motion. Also, the original handlebars were still okay, so I could have just left everything as it was . That probably would have been better.

On the first strut, the washer was missing underneath the top mount . At first, I thought my "how-to" instructions were wrong. After assembling the first strut with a new spring, top mount, and shock absorber (without the washer) and reinstalling it, I found a washer on the second one . Great thing after already 5 hours of working on it... Honestly, I didn't feel like taking the first strut apart again to add the washer. It had been running for 310,000 km without it, so it should be okay.

You must also pay close attention to the angle of the strut mount relative to the lower bolt axis; otherwise, installation will be difficult (I needed a third and fourth hand for one shock absorber).

Jetzt kommt der Knaller: Die beiden unteren vorderen Querlenker (die die Federbeine halten) ließen sich im Achsschenkel trotz Schlagschraubers zum verrecken nicht festziehen. Erinnerungen an meine letzte Schraubaktion (siehe Link weiter oben) kamen hoch . Einen Imbus zum Gegenhalten gibt es nicht. Dann kam das böse Erwachen. Zwischen dem Gelenkkonus und dem Achsschenkel gibt es noch eine konische Hülse, die noch auf den alten Lenkern saß. In meinem "So wirds gemacht" gibt es leider keinen Hinweis darauf . Also musste ich die unteren, vorderen Lenker wieder ausbauen und die Hülsen von den alten Lenkern abziehen. Durch den Einbau ohne die Hülsen hat es dann gleich die Gummimanschetten des neuen Gelenkes zerlegt. Das war der Zeitpunkt, an dem ich am liebsten die Kiste zum Schrottplatz gebracht hätte... Der Werkstattmeister hat dann die neuen Gelenkmanschetten notdürftig geflickt, dann kam der nächste Kracher: Der Konus des Gelenkes des neuen Lenkers ist zu klein, daher hat es auch die Manschette zerlegt. Es war einfach das falsche Teil. AI have finally learned that you should NOT order spare parts online.

The steering rack is from Ruville. I bought it from kfzteile.com. There, they offered me a so-called "Gold Service," where all ordered parts are checked again based on the vehicle registration document. Nonsense: One of the steering racks is simply the wrong one. In the end, 7 hours had passed, and luckily, an employee from the workshop drove me home. Now, the suspension arms are hanging on three steering racks without support from the shock absorber... Sleep well, old Passat... I'll be back to see you early tomorrow }. Fortunately, there are three parts dealers around the corner who hopefully can sell me the correct two steering racks.

Okay, fellow DIY enthusiasts: PLEASE LEAVE THE FRONT AXLE ALONE. The effort simply isn't worth it! It's too complicated. The mechanic told me that almost every week someone comes to him who has received the wrong part from an online retailer. You really need to buy these parts locally from a trusted dealer, even if it's more expensive.

One thing I noticed: The lower rear control arm (Lemförder brand, replaced last year) is wobbling again in the engine mount, just like a cow's tail. Actually, this was the reason it was replaced last year... Is there naturally supposed to be that much play in it?

Good night.

Quote:

The lower rear control arm (from Lemförder, replaced last year) is wobbling again in the engine mount like a cow's tail. Actually, this was the reason it was replaced last year... Does it naturally have that much play?

What do you mean by "play"? Viewed from the front and back, it should be able to swing freely. It does that when the steering wheel is turned. However, it must be firmly seated perpendicular to the fitting.

Perhaps it wasn't secured at the correct weight, causing the rubber bands to stretch beyond their limit and potentially break.

Quote:

So, dear hobby mechanics: KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF THE REAR AXLE. The effort simply isn't worth it! It's too complicated.

Das ist nicht unbedingt die richtige Schlußfolgerung. "Better is:"
- Follow the official technical documentation (RLF), not just generic instructions ("this is how it's done"). The latter often only represents a single model year as an example.
- Obtain original parts from a reliable , specifying the vehicle's VIN; compare them to the existing parts before installation for safety.
- Use quality tools. My spring compressor doesn't bend, and I don't use an impact wrench on it.
The washer on the top of the shock absorber likely holds the strut mount in place.
hg
Herbert.

Quote:

What do you call that part? Viewed from the front and back, in the direction of travel, it should be able to swivel. It does so when the steering wheel is turned. However, it must be firmly seated perpendicular to the fitting.

He does that too. It's very stable when placed sideways. So, it seems like that's normal. At least the rubber bands look brand new and very sturdy.

Dear people, unfortunately, there is still no happy ending . Near the workshop, there are three parts suppliers, and none of them had the correct control arm in stock. One of them was able to order it (Meyle HD) within two hours. Now guess what happened when I opened the packaging: The wrong control arms were inside again . Fortunately, the dealer was then still able to bring me the right parts within half an hour... The installation was finally completed after one hour.

Then came the next shock: The ring for the dome support apparently did exist after all, as it was innocently lying under the workshop cart. The employees initially reassured me by saying, "It will hold even without it."

"When I started the car, the ABS/ESP warning light immediately came on. Oh yeah, I just remembered that you're supposed to disconnect the cable from the wheel hub when removing the shock absorber. So far, I haven't been able to check whether it's just the connector that's disconnected or if the cable is actually broken."

On the way home, I was initially very surprised by how good the road handling suddenly was . However, the joy didn't last long. On slight bumps, I heard a rattling sound synchronized with the suspension movement. The cause was quickly found: Apparently, the strut mount prefers to have a ring. When manually compressing the affected side, you can clearly trigger a rumbling noise in the shock absorber head .

Since I've now sacrificed 2 days of my vacation and am about to go to a mental hospital, I'm giving up again and taking it back to the workshop. I'll also have them replace the tie rod ends at the same time ... So, changing the timing belt is really child's play compared to this multi-link rear axle.

Only the lower front control arm can be tightened with an impact wrench. It lacks the Allen screw for holding it in place, unlike the rear one. Without an impact wrench in the garage, you definitely won't be able to tighten that part }. By the way, the spring compressor in the workshop was naturally bent, so my small spring wasn't actually the culprit. I still don't know why my Hazet ball joint separator couldn't remove the lower front control arm. I simply couldn't push it in far enough, not even with brute force. Last year, it worked fine with that tool for the rear one, at least without any problems. If the separator hadn't failed, this sleeve problem wouldn't have occurred.

Well, you just have to accept setbacks sometimes... In any case, thank you very much for your support.

Herbert wrote:

The washer on the top of the shock absorber might be holding the strut mount in place.

Hello Herbert,

She does. I can now confirm this from painful experience .

And something else I thought of: The nut for the shock absorber also needs to be tightened with an impact wrench. Unfortunately, 50 Nm and holding it in place with the thin Hazet 5mm Allen key isn't enough; the new nut just spins. Also, when using the impact wrench, the damper itself tends to spin, so you have to hold it in place multiple times.

"Definitely no impact wrench should be used there. On older models, the shock absorber nut is tightened with a tool like a VW 3078 or a homemade solution, and held in place from inside through the window using an Allen key. On newer models, VW uses a special ratchet (open-top) for the nut. Is the wrong nut being used?"
hg
Herbert.

. One should be careful when using impact drivers there... do not use them.

Quote:

Wrong mother used??

Alternatively, the problem might be caused by a missing "U" washer between the piston rod and the shock absorber mount, which could allow the piston rod to become lodged within the bore of the shock absorber mount if the bore is too large.

If you had just said something beforehand.

"For this model, Monroe offers front shock absorbers with pre-assembled springs, strut mounts, and dust boots, available under part numbers 5550020 and 5550021 in the parts trade. This would eliminate the need for separate spring compression. However, these are only suitable for use with a "standard suspension" setup."
"If that appeals to you, it will save you time and effort."

The lower handlebars with the smaller cone ends were introduced starting in model year 2003. You can easily identify them by checking the vehicle identification number.

We had already discussed this topic in a previous post: /viewtopic.php?t=18914.

...what an odyssey.

For these coil springs, there are professional spring compressors available that press against the spring perch, allowing you to achieve the necessary compression to access the piston rod.

Without it, it's really a struggle.

"I also managed to loosen the clamping screw, but the rest of the axle came out quite easily on both my 3B and my friend's 3BG."

As spring compressors, I had very cheap parts that cost only 15 euros each. Although the top retaining ring was damaged on some of them, they still function today and have survived several cars.

I used a cheap pipe wrench to work on the shock absorber's piston rod. You insert the 1/4" extension through it, and then you can tighten the nut from the outside.

Bye.
peace

Hi there!

I have already replaced the control arms on several A4 and Passat cars, sometimes partially, sometimes as a complete set. I always made sure to choose the correct parts and then ordered them online, and they always fit perfectly. http://www.partscats.info/

And I didn't have any problems except for the hinge bolt, but even that eventually gave way after applying heat, cold, a pneumatic chisel, and plenty of rust remover, stretching its flanges in the process.

I've never had the luxury of being able to do this on a stage before, using only jack stands and mostly without anyone helping me, but in the end, all the cars were driven away again.

Perhaps it's because I've been working on things myself for over 30 years, I have a sufficient supply of high-quality tools (and if something is missing, I acquire it immediately), and fortunately, I've always had enough patience to avoid getting frustrated and causing problems when dealing with larger issues.

Best regards, Rüdi.